War Child’s HELP album back in shops after initial run of 2020 copies sold out on day of re-release

16 October 2020 - Press release

Limited edition vinyl was re-released last month to celebrate the album’s 25th anniversary

 

https://WarChild.lnk.to/Help25So

 

War Child have announced that the vinyl re-release of their landmark 1995 HELP album is back in shops as of today, after the initial run of 2020 vinyl sold out on the day of release last month.

Re-issued on limited edition vinyl and for the first time on digital and streaming platforms on 9th September, exactly 25 years after its debut release, the new version of the album reached #3 in the vinyl chart and #10 in the compilations chart, with the Sunday Times commenting on the reissue, ‘The album remains a remarkable achievement'.

A brand new podcast ‘HELP - The Story of the War Child Album’ was launched across podcasting platforms on release week, with new episodes out weekly, hosted by Matt Everitt and produced by Cup & Nuzzle.

Originally mastered by Brian Eno, with artwork by John Squire and featuring exclusive images from the original recording sessions shot by Lawrence Watson at Abbey Road Studios, HELP features tracks from Oasis and Friends, The Boo Radleys, The Stone Roses, Radiohead, Orbital, Portishead, Massive Attack, Suede, The Charlatans vs. The Chemical Brothers, Stereo MCs, Sinéad O’Connor, The Levellers, Manic Street Preachers, Terrorvision, The One World Orchestra (Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty), Planet 4 Folk Quartet (Andrew Weatherall and David Harrow), Terry Hall and Salad, Neneh Cherry and Trout, Blur and The Smokin’ Mojo Filters (Paul McCartney, Paul Weller and Noel Gallagher). 

Recorded in a single day in September 1995 across multiple studios and released less than a week later, in a time before WeTransfers, iPhones and email, HELP raised over £1.25 million enabling War Child to bring much needed emergency support to thousands of children caught up in the Bosnian conflict.

 

A quarter of a century later and the hugely revered album’s legendary status continues to grow as it’s discovered by new generations of music fans.  No charity album before or since has managed to achieve what HELP achieved and attract such a credible and stellar line-up to create such a relevant, respected and cool album – recently described by Q magazine as “the best charity album ever made.”

 

At a time when children affected by war are facing Coronavirus, a crisis as deadly as the bombs and bullets they have survived, help is needed more than ever.

Full track listing:

Side A

1. Oasis and Friends – "Fade Away"

2. The Boo Radleys – "Oh Brother"

3. The Stone Roses – "Love Spreads"

4. Radiohead – "Lucky"

5. Orbital – "Adnan"

Side B

6. Portishead – "Mourning Air"

7. Massive Attack – "Fake the Aroma" (alternate version of "Karmacoma")

8. Suede – "Shipbuilding"

9. The Charlatans vs. The Chemical Brothers – "Time For Livin'"

10. Stereo MCs – "Sweetest Truth (Show No Fear)"

Side C

11. Sinéad O'Connor – "Ode to Billie Joe"

12. The Levellers – "Searchlights"

13. Manic Street Preachers – "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"

14. Terrorvision – "Tom Petty Loves Veruca Salt"

15. The One World Orchestra featuring The Massed Pipes and Drums of the Children's Free Revolutionary Volunteer Guards (aka The KLF) – "The Magnificent"

Side D

16. Planet 4 Folk Quartet – "Message to Crommie"

17. Terry Hall and Salad – "Dream a Little Dream of Me"

18. Neneh Cherry and Trout – "1, 2, 3, 4, 5 "

19. Blur – "Eine kleine Lift Musik"

20. The Smokin' Mojo Filters – "Come Together"